A Darkness Rising
by GoldDragonZ
Summary: This is my third attempt at a story like this. My previous stories were not really that good, and no one really read them. I hope people really like this story and I want to continue writing it. Please enjoy. This is rated M for mature content such as language, gore, and perhaps some sexual situations.
1. Chapter 1

**A Darkness Rises**

**GoldDragonZ**: This is my third attempt at a story like this. My previous stories were not really that good, and no one really read them. They were rated M as well, yet had very graphic gore and sexual content so I have had to change this up a bit. I hope people really like this story and I want to continue writing them. Please enjoy. This is rated M for mature content.

The following takes place on a different world, where dragons, goblins, elves, dwarfs and wizards lived. Fantastic creatures lived in harmony with the peoples of the land. The tale begins innocent enough as a boy with orange hair was walking home with his mother from school in a neighboring village. They were both wearing cloaks. His was made from blue material and hers from grey material. This boy's name was Ichigo Kurosaki and his mother's name was Masaki Kurosaki. Rain was coming down like cats and dogs. Thunder boomed as lightning streaked across the sky. The boy looked up to his mother.

"Can I hold your hand?" He asked shyly.

"Of course, dear," She said, smiling as she wanted to soothe the boy as he was definitely scared of the thunder.

He was nine years old and taking lessons on how to fish with a spear and hunt with a bow and arrow. They were walking on a hill back to their own village when he saw a little girl walking dangerously close to the water's edge of a river that ran down in the valley next to the hill they were walking on. The banks of the river threatened to overflow and sweep the girl away. Ichigo let go of his mother's hand. He ran down the hill at full speed, his courage coming to him as he wanted to save the girl. His mother called for him on the hill. She dashed for him before he could reach the river. As Ichigo came closer to the girl, he cried out to her as she turned and started walking towards the water's edge. Fear gripped Ichigo as the water roared and he could barely make out the call of his mother before it was too late. The girl disappeared, however there was no splash. Ichigo stopped, and then everything went black.

Ichigo opened his eyes. His mother was on top of him. The rain seemed to be coming down only as a trickle. Ichigo pushed his mother's body, and then he saw it. His hands were covered with her blood...

* * *

Ichigo's face was a stoic mask. He showed little to no emotion. His mother's body was wrapped in white linen. Pallbearers took the body into a crypt that was freshly dug. His sisters (Yuzu and Karin) who were four years younger than he was were sobbing uncontrollably. Isshin Kurosaki, their father, had lit a cigarette and was puffing it slowly. His eyes were sad as he watched the grave diggers work. They sealed the tomb. Masaki would be sorely missed. The family wore black. In contrast, wearing white cloaks, there were several Quincy elves that were related to Masaki. Soken Ishida, Ryuken Ishida, his wife Kanae Katagiri and Uryu Ishida were there to pay their respects. Masaki was an elf, and had given up her immortality for life as Isshin's bride. She was now mortal and thus could be killed. As an elf, she had already lived 300 years. As a human, she had spent the last eleven years with Isshin, operating a medical clinic in their small village. Ryuken spoke to Isshin quietly, offering his condolences. They shook hands. Uryu was 5' 10" and stood towering above Ichigo. He looked at the boy and offered his hand. They did not speak. Ichigo could only nod to Uryu as the elf squeezed his hand with compassion. Kanae hugged Yuzu and Karin in a warm embrace, and dried their eyes.

"If you need anything, Ichigo." Uryu told the young boy, "We are here for you. We loved your mother. She was a great elf."

"Thank you, cousin." Ichigo said to Uryu.

Several people from around the village also offered their condolences to the Kurosaki family. Ichigo's friends and their families were also there to show support to the family. There was an unwanted guest among them; however, no one addressed him. His name was Gin Ichimaru. He had purple hair, which was very uncommon in the land. He was wearing a black cloak like the Kurosaki family. His lips were curved up into a smile. His master Sosuke Aizen would be interested in hearing how Masaki met her end at the hands of a special creature that they had created. Gin had been sent to analyze and observe the creature's activities. Gin used magic, and opened a portal. And just like that, using mastery in wizardry, he disappeared without a trace.

* * *

They all sat quiet at the dinner table. Isshin had made everyone's favorite foods. Yuzu liked sweet fruits from the market. Karin liked sushi from the fisheries. Ichigo liked hearty soup with oats and meat. But no one moved. They just sat and stared at the plates set in front of them. Yuzu continued to sniffle. Karin tried to be like Ichigo, but could hardly contain herself. Isshin looked solemnly at his children. They had just lost their mother. He had also lost his best friend and lover. He didn't know what to say. He was particularly afraid for Ichigo's well-being. Not showing emotions was just not natural. He could not fathom how his son felt. Isshin reached out his right hand to his son. Ichigo's eyes blinked twice, and then he looked to his father.

"It's okay son." Isshin said. "I'm here."

Tears welled up in Ichigo's eyes. He grabbed Isshin's hand and ran into his father's waiting embrace. Ichigo started sobbing uncontrollably. His sisters were shocked. They got up and joined their father and brother in a bear hug. They were there for each other. They wept. Even Isshin cried for them as they suffered.

* * *

The sun rose like it did any other day. There was no gentle shake from his mother. Ichigo woke up by himself. He looked beside him to his sleeping sisters and father and got out of bed. He went to the window and looked outside. Birds were chirping. Dogs were barking. It was a new day. But on the inside, Ichigo only felt hollow. He quietly changed his clothes from sleeping clothes to his outside clothes. He slipped on his hunting boots, and took his quiver with his bow and arrow and went outside. His eyes furrowed. He thought about his sisters and how they were crying for their mother. He thought about his father, who was trying to keep a brave face on. Anger pulsed through his veins. It should have been him, not his mother. He was the one who wanted to save the little girl. He had no idea what had happened to her. Did she fall into the river, or did she just simply vanish? Ichigo needed answers. He walked all the way back to the river where his mother died. There was a wreath of flowers laid beside the river. Ichigo looked around. The blood had dried on the ground. Ichigo shuddered, imagining that the ground itself was moaning from Masaki's life from her blood. Ichigo looked around him. There was no trace of the girl that he saw. There weren't any footprints either. Ichigo could see his foot prints from the days earlier when he ran to save the girl. But there were only his and his mother's footprints. It seemed there was a struggle. His mother's footprints went to his, then went away, and then came back, and went to another direction. It was almost as if she had been dancing. Had his mother been fighting something? And why couldn't Ichigo remember any of it?

Ichigo swore an oath. He would get stronger. He would also find a way to bring his mother back from the dead so that his sisters could have their mother again. He wanted to do this for his family, not just himself. He needed to learn magic. He went back home. He knocked on his house's door and Isshin greeted him, concern on his face.

"Ichigo, where were you?" Isshin asked, concerned for his son. "I was worried sick."

"I need to borrow your horse." Ichigo said, surprising Isshin.

"What for?" Isshin asked.

"I need to go to the Tower of Scrolls." Ichigo said.

"That's a day's trek from here." Isshin said, worriedly. "What could you possibly need from the tower?"

"I'm just interested in learning a little bit of magic." Ichigo said, "I want to know what I can do for mom."

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to wonder around by yourself, Ichigo." Isshin said. "When we decide to go there, like if one of my patients sends for me that is when I will consider letting you go to the tower, if we are in the same neighborhood."

"I won't be gone long, dad." Ichigo pleaded.

"No, Ichigo." Isshin said, putting his foot down. "You're too young to be travelling by yourself."

Ichigo lowered his head and looked at the ground, defeated. He went inside their home, which doubled as the Kurosaki Health clinic. Isshin ran the clinic so that he could dispense medicine and help people who were sickly or wounded. He asked his children for help. He did not want them to feel that they were being pressured to work the clinic, so he asked them instead of ordering them to help him. Usually, Yuzu and Karin would help Masaki look for herbs and spices that would be used for healing. They also spent time foraging for fruits and vegetables in the forest that was just around the bend from their house. But now, it seemed that things needed to change. Isshin could not be everywhere at once, so he needed his children to understand that they needed to be there so that he could watch out for them. They dove into the work. They needed to clean the clinic from top to bottom. Ichigo retrieved water from a well with two buckets. His sisters went through the clinic's inventory to account for all the medicine that they had, and what they needed. It turned out that they needed something from a few villages away. Luckily for Ichigo, that meant that they would need to travel pass the Tower of Scrolls. Ichigo gave the water to his sisters when he came back home. They cleaned the clinic from top to bottom. Isshin fed the horse, and watered the flowers that made up a garden outside their home. Masaki had tended to the garden for as long as they lived in the clinic. Ichigo and his sisters soon finished cleaning the clinic. Yuzu and Karin summarized everything that they needed and told Isshin about how they needed to travel to buy medicine from a neighboring town. Ichigo's eyes lighted up when he realized that they would be going passed the Tower of Scrolls. It was already late in the day, so they had dinner and sat around the fireplace while Isshin told them about how he and his mother had met. Isshin did not want any secrets between him and his family, so he decided to tell them the truth about their heritage.

Isshin's last name had once been Shiba. He had lived life as a soldier and later a general of one of the armies of Karakura. He had learned how to fight at a young age. On a mission to the outskirts of the country of Karakura, he met Masaki, who had been travelling with other elves. They were being pursued by an evil being called an Arrancar. This was a different type of goblin that he had never seen before. The goblin was wearing all black. His skin was black, and his hair was white and wiry. On his head was a black helmet with a white face plate. On the helmet were two horns. His hands were inside gloves and on top of the gloves were black blades. The elves were shooting arrows at the beast, but his armor was thick. He used the blades and slashed the arrows out of the sky as well. Masaki stood up to him, and unsheathed a white sword with a blue hue. She stood defiantly as she wanted to save her fellow elves. Isshin came up beside her and unsheathed his own sword. Together, they fought the Arrancar. He used his blades on his hands to defend against slashes from Isshin and Masaki. The other elves cried out, and Masaki and Isshin immediately dropped to their knees. Arrows flung by their heads. They slammed into the Arrancar's chest, lifting him up off the ground. He flew through the air and then slammed onto the ground. Masaki sprang up and Isshin followed. The Arrancar also got up, and roared like an animal. Isshin wasted no time and ran to the enemy, swinging his sword as fast as he could. Meanwhile, Masaki took out her own bow and arrow. She took out one arrow and knocked it. She aimed and shot the arrow. It slammed through the Arrancar's eye socket. The creature clawed at its face, as it forgot for a second that Isshin was there. Isshin beheaded the beast.

"Are you all okay?" He asked.

"You are valiant man." Masaki said. "No mortal man has ever come to the aid of those of us who are elves. No mortal man has ever defeated these Arrancar goblins. You are truly something special. What is your name?"

"My name is Isshin, of the house Shiba." Isshin answered. "And what is yours, fair maiden of elves?"

"My name is Masaki Kurosaki and these are my kin, the Quincy elves."

* * *

"That's how your mom and I met." Isshin said to his children. "I helped her defeat an enemy that she and her kin could not defeat by themselves."

"What happened, father?" Ichigo asked. "How come you are no longer a General?"

"I retired, Ichigo." Isshin explained and then shook his head. . "Taking a life...It takes yours. And forcing people to take lives leaves a foul taste in your mouth. I would rather heal people than hurt people. Remember this, children. Only the most evil of monsters deserve to be killed. I don't want you to worry about battles between good and evil. I just want you all to live well and die with a smile on your face. If you live like that, then I can rest knowing that you all made it."

"If that's the case father," Ichigo said kind of confused. "Why do we hunt and fish? Is that not taking lives?"

"Well yes." Isshin admitted. "But there is the circle of life. We consume plants and animals, and then when we die, our bodies turn into dust, feeding the plants, which the animals eat. We come from the earth and it is to the earth we will return. I'm talking about beings with souls. Fish and animals may not have a soul. Men, Elves, wizards, and perhaps even goblins have souls. That is why I decided to retire from the army."

Ichigo nodded with understanding. Sentient life was valued over other lives. He looked at his father.

"Is it possible to bring back someone from the dead?" Ichigo asked,

"Is that why you want to go to the Tower of Scrolls?" Isshin asked his son. "Do you want to find a way to bring your mother back from the dead? Believe me when I say this Ichigo; playing with that type of magic is very dangerous. You might be able to recreate her body, but her soul is gone. You might bring back something else."

"But father!" Ichigo said. "I have to try. It's my fault. It's my fault that Mom died."

"Ichigo." Isshin said with concern. "No one blames you for your mother's death. You're just a child. I am grateful that you are safe and sound. You could have died as well. I believe Masaki saved you. It was her duty to save you. It is not your responsibility. I will let you learn as much as you can, but you have to know that playing with these dark arts are very dangerous."

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"You mean I can go to the Tower?" Ichigo said.

"Yes son." Isshin said. "The scribes that live there will help you learn as much as you can. I believe that if you want to help people, they will teach you how to heal. You will learn much, and I hope the wisdom they impart to you teaches you about this world."

"Thank you Father," Ichigo said, bowing to show respect...

* * *

The horse walked slowly as it had to pull a wagon filled with bags and containers that Isshin was going to use to put medicines, herbs and spices in. He also had bags for bandages that he needed to stock up on. The girls sat with the bags. Ichigo sat up front with his father. They traveled by day and rested at night. They would pull out sleeping mats with blankets and would look up to the stars. The horse slept standing up. Isshin got a fire going and was able to cook a little bit of vegetables and oats for his small children. His children were obedient and did not wonder off. They stayed put and helped Isshin make camp. Isshin sat on his own mat while his children dozed off. He needed to keep watch.

Dawn broke, and the sun rose slowly into the sky. Isshin blinked. He looked to his children. Yuzu sat up, and rubbed her eyes. Karin pulled the blanket over her head, groaning. Ichigo was next to stir. His eyes were puffy. He looked like he had been crying, and yet Isshin never heard him. Isshin got up and stretched his muscles. He went over to Karin and shook her gently.

"Honey, it's time for breakfast!" He said cheerfully.

"Are you okay, Ichigo?" Yuzu asked her older brother with concern etched on her face.

"I'm fine." Ichigo said, wiping his eyes.

Together they started a fire. Ichigo helped put away their sleeping mats and blankets as the girls went into the forest nearby to find fruit. They knew what to look for and did not spend too long as to worry their father. Ichigo helped feed the horse as it too awoke. Isshin poured out oats into four bowls, and poured a little bit of water into each from a flask. He waited for his children to come back to the camp. They joined him and they ate their breakfast, which was oatmeal, with fruit mixed in. The sun was still rising, and it gave an orange hue to the sky. Ichigo sighed. The world seemed not to know that one of the most important people in Ichigo's life died. The world still went on. Ichigo tried but he could not hide the pain from his face. Isshin realized this and started singing a song. His own mother sang it to him when he was a child. He hoped that it would soothe his children as they thought about their dead mother. They finished and traveled to a creek that was nearby. Isshin refilled his flask with water. Yuzu and Karin washed the bowls and utensils as Ichigo got the horse ready to start moving. Soon they were off. Isshin tried to keep humming a happy tune. His children kept an eye out for any danger.

They traveled along a well-traveled road to get to their destination. Soon they could see the Tower of Scrolls from where they were. It was a tall black tower rising high into the sky. Ichigo's heart skipped a beat. He poked his father.

"Father!" He said. "Look, the tower!"

Ichigo pointed to the tower, and Isshin nodded. He looked and saw the tower. They traveled another hour before they met a great wall that surrounded the town that the tower resided. They traveled around the town until they met a gate. Isshin got off the wagon and called out to those who guarded the wall. A man with long white hair looked down from on top the wall. He was wearing dark green armor with gold highlights. He had a spear strapped to his back, and was wearing a black cape which also had red lining underneath it. He also had a scar near his left eye that went down to near his jaw.

"Hello!" Isshin bellowed. "My name is Isshin Kurosaki. I own a health clinic and we are on our way to buy some medicine, ointments and bandages. Would it be possible for my son to stay here and learn what he can from the scribes that live within the Tower of Scrolls?"

"This is not some library that anyone can use to gain knowledge." The guard said. "He will need to prove himself."

"He's just a boy!" Isshin said. "What harm could a little knowledge be?"

"Knowledge is power." The guard said. "Those who are wise and have knowledge can outwit, and outclass anyone that would stand against them. What can you possibly give to me that I can possess that no one else can? If you can give me that, I will consider letting your son enter these premises."

Isshin looked down to his son, whose eyebrows were furrowed.

"Father, let me prove myself to them." Ichigo said, with determination in his eyes. "I will get into the tower."

"Okay!" Isshin called out. "My son will do as your ask. What would you have him do?"

"Tell me," The guard said. "What must the strong do always? What is our duty?"

"We must protect the innocent and defeat evil!" Ichigo cried out. "It's out duty to represent something that can never be destroyed, and that is righteousness."

The guard's eyes widened. A young boy had just said something very wise indeed.

"What is your name, little boy?" The guard asked.

"My name is Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo responded. "Son of Masaki, a Quincy Elf, and Isshin Shiba, General turned doctor of Karakura fame."

And then the guard was humbled.

"You should have lead with that, Isshin." The guard said. "My name is Ganryu. Welcome to our walled town that surrounds the Tower of Scrolls."

* * *

With respect, Ichigo was let into the town. Isshin and his two sisters hugged him goodbye. They needed to get going to reach the other town that had the items they needed to buy in order to run their clinic. Ichigo would stay here to get knowledge about the magic he wanted to know. Ganryu was the leader of a cult called the Dark Ones. They had once been nomads with no real home. The members were all runaways and mercenaries. They were hired by the scribes that lived within the tower to protect them. The scribes paid them with food, drinks, weapons, magic, and gold. Ganryu met a scribe that was at the entrance to the tower. Ichigo's eyes widened. He never saw clothes that were as white as what the scribe was wearing. The scribe was wearing all white robes, and had a red cone shaped hat on his head.

"Hello, little one." The scribe said, smiling. "How can we help you?"

"I need to learn about magic." Ichigo said. "Is it possible to learn spells that can bring someone back from the dead?"

The scribe's eyes widened and his smile wavered.

"Regarding the dead," The scribe said. "You need to know a lot of magic in order to learn such a spell. It will take years of practice. It will also come at a cost. What can you possibly give us to teach you these spells?"

"My father runs a healing clinic." Ichigo said. "I know how to heal people. I can be there for your guards. I also know how to hunt and fish. I can help feed this town."

The scribe thought about it. Ichigo was just a small boy. He was innocent. And so began Ichigo's learning. The scribes within the tower were all wearing white robes with red hats. Ichigo was inducted into the tower, and had to wear the same uniform. He first learned how to read. His mother had taught him and his sisters how to read, but their lessons were incomplete. Ichigo still had much to learn. Two days went by. On the third day, he was given a break but had to tend to the wounded. He helped the medic of the town and they were able to help several people throughout the course of the day. Ichigo was given a place to sleep within the tower. Isshin and his sisters soon came back, and saw that he was actually studying hard.

"What have you learned so far, son?" Isshin asked his boy.

"I'm learning how to read better." Ichigo said. "It's going to take me a long time to learn as much as I can. I think I'm going to stay here for a while. I need to learn a lot and only these people can teach me. I will get breaks and I will come to visit you guys."

"You mean you're not coming home with us?" Yuzu said, horrified that she would not be living with her big brother anymore. "But Ichigo-"

"I have to do this, Yuzu." Ichigo said. "I have to."

Karin had a frown on her face but she seemed to understand. His heart hurt, but he needed to do this. He hugged his sisters closely and then hugged his father.

"You're becoming a man, Ichigo." Isshin said to his boy. "I will bring some of your things the next time we need more medicine and supplies. Take care of yourself Ichigo."

Yuzu tugged at Ichigo's hand.

"What's up Yuzu?" Ichigo asked.

"I want you to visit us whenever you can." She said. "We're going to miss you lots, okay big brother?"

"I will." Ichigo said. "I promise."

Ichigo walked with his family to the outskirts of the town. Other guards wearing green and black armor were mulling about, waiting for something to happen. They looked to one another. Yuzu's eyes were red with tears. Ichigo hugged her again, squeezing her with affection. Karin joined them. His sisters let go of him. Isshin walked up to Ichigo and ruffed up his already messy hair. Isshin hugged Ichigo and then, they started going apart. Isshin opened the cart with all of the supplies, and let the girls in. He got up on the cart where the horse was pulling it, and he started commanding the horse to go by using the reigns. Ichigo stood there for some time as his family left him in the care of strangers. They trusted that nothing bad was going to happen to him. Soon, his family had gone passed some trees and were out of sight. Ichigo walked back into the walled town, and then went to the tower. The guards closed the gates behind him.

* * *

Meanwhile, many miles away, in the center of the Republic of Karakura, there was trouble brewing. The following takes place several days after Masaki's funeral. The Kurosaki family, and the Tower of Scrolls were many miles away, on the outskirts of the country. In the middle of the country was the center, the Seireitei. Powerful wizards, trained soldiers, elves and other beings brought their knowledge and power there. Within the confines of the main palace lived the all-powerful, all seeing, King of Karakura. He was an elf of unknown origin. He did not marry, and had no children. Rumor had it that he could not have children and that was why he was alone. He rarely went outside of the palace walls, and was well protected by his own King's Guard army of soldiers. They were the best of the best, and continued their training. They knew magic spells. Isshin Kurosaki had once lived within the Seireitei, but was not one of the King's Guard. He was still a General, and had a lot of experience. The family of Shiba had been a rich one and they had lived within the walls of the Seireitei for generations. The family was still very much part of the army of Karakura. They still resided in the Seireitei. The leader of the family was named Kaien Shiba, married to Miyako Shiba. Kaien was younger than Isshin. There was also Kukaku Shiba, and Ganju Shiba. Those two were younger siblings than Kaien. Kaien was the lieutenant of one of the armies of Karakura. He was in charge of training those who were new to his army. The general in charge of the army Kaien served was Jushiro Ukitake, head of army 13. He was very sickly, and yet was one of the most respected members of the country and of the army. Kaien took on the role of meeting with the newer members of his army. And thus he met a newcomer, Rukia Kuchiki, who had been adopted into the Kuchiki clan of elves who were predetermined to be in charge of the sixth army. She had been adopted by Byakuya Kuchiki and his grandfather Ginrei Kuchiki. Byakuya's parents had retired and lived across the ocean, on another land. It was up to Byakuya to command his army, and his lieutenant was Renji Abarai.

Renji had lived on the outskirts and met Rukia. They had been a part of a tribe of hunters and wore pelts from animals. Renji wore baboon fur on his back and arms. Rukia and Renji had gone to the academy together and learned about battle. They were partners until the Kuchiki family came and took Rukia away. Rukia was excellent at using spells regarding snow and ice. She wore a white kimono and had two swords strapped to her waist. One was a regular katana with a red and gold hilt. She also used a white katana with a white piece of fabric like a ribbon extending from the hilt of the white sword. Rukia had learned how to use these swords quite proficiently. Now she needed to learn how to work as part of a group.

At first, Rukia felt that she would be shunned as she did not need to write an exam to enter the army. Coming from a privileged family, she was able to get there without the entrance exam. Kaien greeted her like he always did with new recruits. Rukia felt her heart flutter. This man was not impressed by privilege or status. If you knew how to follow orders, and could fight, that is all he needed. He also treated her like a human being. He and Rukia got to know one another. Kaien had similar powers and could use water as she used ice. Kaien's wife Miyako was also a member of the army, serving as another teacher for new comers as well. She was the third seat and Rukia admired her. Rukia learned much from her time with the army. One day, orders came that there was a disturbance from beyond the Siereitei's walls. A small squad of soldiers were asked to investigate. Miyako volunteered. She reassured Rukia and Kaien that she would come back safely. Two days went by. Kaien was teaching a group of soldiers, including Rukia, when another member of their army came running full tilt. It was another member of the squad that Miyako had left with.

"Sir!" He said, out of breath.

"Easy there," Kaien said. "What news from the front?"

"It's bad sir." The man said, painfully. "We were ambushed by a creature. I have never seen the likes of this wretched being in my whole life."

"Where is Miyako?" Kaien asked worriedly, and then he grabbed the man by the shoulders. "Where is my wife?"

"Dead sir." The man said. "They're all dead. No just your wife. Everyone that went with us is dead. I don't know how it happened. It was a little girl."

"What do you mean a little girl?" Kaien asked.

"Your wife saw her first." the soldier said. "Rather, she saw _it_. We thought the girl was lost as she came close to us. She didn't talk. She only walked up to us. And then, out of nowhere, this giant creature with a massive sword came out. Your wife was shocked, and could not draw her sword fast enough. She was cleaved into two. The monster just roared, and then he sprang at us. I was the only one to get away. I think he let me get away to spread the news about what the creature did to the squad."

"It's called the Grand Fisher." General Jushiro Ukitake said, coming up to them. "We've known about him for some time now. He was never this powerful to defeat one whole squad of soldiers before. Something has changed."

"Sir!" Kaien said, coming to attention, while all the other soldiers got to their feet and stood erect as well. "I request the use of a squad of soldiers to track down this creature and eliminate him."

"Several days ago, your kin was attacked." General Ukitake said. "I believe your family is being targeted, Kaien."

"Who did it attack?" Kaien asked, fearfully.

"It attacked your sister in law while she was walking with her son from one of the villages on the outskirts. I don't know how fast it could travel, but it seems that the more it kills, the more powerful it becomes. It moved really fast. I cannot fathom the level of magic that this being possess for it to travel such a great distance in such a short amount of time. I need to report this to the General Commander, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto . We need to track it down and eliminate it before it kills any more. We need to keep you safe, Kaien. We have no idea what it wants from your family. I will send word to your other family members in order for them to be placed under protection."

Kaien looked back to the other soldiers.

"You're all dismissed." He said, and then he turned to talk to the General Ukitake. "Sir! It's my wife that it killed. I need to find this creature. I need to be the one that kills it."

"I don't think it's a wise move to send you off to your death, Kaien." the General said. "We need other soldiers to go with you to find the Grand Fisher."

"I volunteer." Rukia said, interrupting the conversation. "I have been training for years. I believe that I have what it takes to defeat this enemy."

"I admire your bravery," General Ukitake said. "However, I need to consult with the other Generals as well. I will consider your request, but for now, just be vigilant and get back to the barracks. Kaien, you other soldier; follow me."

The soldiers all fell in line in order to return to the barracks. Rukia felt concern for her commanding officer. Dread filled her entire being. She followed Kaien, General Ukitake and the soldier who reported the bad news to the main meeting hall. Standing at the front of the room was the Commanding General, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Rukia crept around and climbed up one side of the building to a window to listen to what was going on. Ukitake let the soldier speak to the Commanding General. Kaien stepped forward and tried to sell the reason why needed to be the one to track the creature down that had killed his wife. Yamamoto sent word out to all the Generals, who were all presently residing in the Seireitei. Two Generals were unaccounted for as they were on missions with their armies protecting the land. They were Sojiro Kusaka, leader of the 10th army and Sosuke Aizen, leader of the 3rd army.

Yamamoto was leader of the whole army, but mainly took care of the first army.

Soifon was leader of the second army, otherwise known as the Punishment Army that was also in charge of carrying messages.

Yachiru Kenpachi was leader of the fourth army, which was also known as the Medical Healing Corps.

Shinji Hirako was leader of the fifth army.

The elf Byakuya Kuchiki was leader of the sixth army.

Love Aikawa was leader of the seventh army.

Shunsui Kyoraku was leader of the eighth army.

Kensei Muguruma was leader of the ninth army.

Kisuke Urahara was leader of the eleventh army and the Research and Development branch of the army.

Finally, there was Tessai Tsukabishi who was the best wizard they had, and he was dubbed the Sorcerer Supreme of the army. He taught the soldiers the art of magic.

Two messengers made sure to sit and write down the instructions that the Commander would impart as they needed to send work to Generals Aizen and Kusaka.

Rukia listened with intent as the generals discussed what needed to be done. It seemed that someone had something against the Shiba clan. The Commanding General, Yamamoto ordered that all members of the family needed to be put into protection programs. They needed to be moved into the Seireitei where no one could get to them. Kukaku would probably be the most stubborn to move as she lived and operated outside the Seireitei. They would need to convince her that she needed to be protected. As for Isshin Shiba/Kurosaki, he and his family would be left onto their own devices. Isshin had defected from the army of Karakura and could have been deemed a traitor, however, his actions before his defection had given him the ability to retire peacefully. Central 46 was a group of leaders from all 46 districts of Karakura, including areas within the walls of the Seireitei. They would be giving the final order, and all of the Generals needed to do were to wait for their command. The King of Karakura would also hear about this and would be able to give the final order on what needed to be done.

* * *

Days stretched into weeks. Still, no word came down from Central 46. Whenever General Ukitake went to ask if there had been any progress, the guards at the gate of the building where the Central 46 all met would say that they were very busy making a decision. Kaien went and convinced his brother and sister that were closest to the Seireitei to follow him and live inside the walled city until further notice. They had to live in temporary accommodations and were limited to how they moved about through the city. It was for their protection. Although several people had survived the encounter with the Grand Fisher, no one knew how it was that he could hide his presence, and only showed a little girl to entice people to follow him or lower their guard. If he could hide his presence, then he could enter guarded areas as well. Tessai Tsukabishi, the sorcerer supreme came up with several spells in order to keep the Shibas safe. He placed a spell over their house. He gave them cloaks that changed the shape of their faces. Only they could know what kind of face they would be using. Rukia was not allowed to go anywhere near them. Her heart ached for Kaien. Whenever she did see him, he walked around with sadness on his face. He had lost the love of his life and was not allowed to avenge her. He needed to stay there for his siblings. Meanwhile, Kisuke Urahara and his army were tasked with finding a way to combat this evil. They tried to piece together the tactics the Grand Fisher used to lower the guards of experience soldiers.

They sent messengers to meet with Isshin Kurosaki on the outskirts, and all he could provide was the tale that Ichigo told him about how Masaki died. Yuzu and Karin were asked to leave the room so that the grownups could talk. No one told Isshin that his sister-in-law had died. He had only thought that he still had friends in Karakura who wanted to offer their sympathies on the passing of his wife. Ichigo was not told or asked anything, and was left to learn all that he could. Isshin could only relay what Ichigo told him. Ichigo had told him about how he thought there was a girl that needed his help. Ichigo only awoke and found his mother on top of him, and they were both covered with Masaki's blood. Isshin told the soldiers from the Seireitei about Ichigo's findings when he went to the area near the river where it appeared that Masaki had fought against something.

The description of the girl, according to what Ichigo told Isshin matched the description of the girl that the squad from Ukitake's army found. Ichigo had faced the creature and lived. However because he was so young, the soldiers tasked with finding out what happened did not want to ask him anything, and had to settle for asking Isshin about what had happened to Masaki. After much talk about what else was happening within the realm, the soldiers had to leave and report to the Head General and Central 46. They were really respectful to the retired general; they made sure to tell him that he was welcome whenever he needed anything from the Seireitei. And thus, they left to file their reports with the proper authorities.

* * *

Gin Ichimaru, the Lieutenant for Army Three stood, and keeping watch as the other members of his army were asleep in tents. Other members were also keeping watch; however they were located on the perimeter of the army's camp, facing out in order to spot any trouble brewing. Inside a massive tent was Sosuke Aizen, who was busy attending to other matters. He and Ichimaru had just received word that the Shiba clan was being targeted by the reclusive Grand Fisher. The tent was on the edge of the camp, overlooking a cliff which looked out into the sea on the edge of Karakura. No one saw it, but high in the sky flew a dark figure. It swooped down and barely made any sound to alert the others. Ichimaru was the only being to see the coming creature. It landed at the entrance of the tent that Aizen was in and it opened the flaps to the tent. It transformed from a creature that usually walked on four legs to two. It had a sword sheathed on his back, and had a feather on top of a mask on its head. It entered the tent quietly, as to not wake any of the sleeping soldiers who were in their own tents.

Aizen was smoking a pipe. He was kneeling before a desk, filling out necessary reports to send back to the Head Commander General Yamamoto. He was wearing a sleeping tunic, with white cotton shorts. He looked up to the being that became more human. He transformed completely and looked at Aizen. He bowed humbly.

"I have returned, master." The Grand Fisher said. "I have done as you asked."

"So the boy has been placed on the path of vengeance." Aizen said, smiling. "And his kin are aware that you exist as well, I take it."

"I killed several soldiers and their commander as well." the Grand Fisher said. "They proved to be no challenge for me, my master. I thank you for the power that you have bestowed upon me through the Hogyoku."

"Yes," Aizen said. "You have proven to be most effective. Your task is not over, however. You have one more task, and then you will be free to do as you wish."

"What would you have me do, master?"

Aizen just smiled, his glasses shining in the dim candle light. A plan was slowly unfolding.

* * *

Dawn broke upon the land slowly. The sky turned from black to navy blue, to orange with the rising sun. The soldiers within the camp slowly roused. One soldier in particular crept out of his tent. He looked to the sky, and then something caught his eye. There was movement near General Aizen's tent. And then he saw it. It was a massive creature with blood all over his jaws and hands. In its mouth was General Aizen, his body covered with blood. The soldier screamed. Other soldiers rushed out of their tents, swords, spears, axes, bows, arrows, and crossbows were already in their hands. They surrounded the creature that had Aizen's body within its mouth. The creature's eyes glowed red with evil and malice. It spat out Aizen's body and lunged for the nearest soldier. That was Gin Ichimaru. He simply smiled. Something flashed beneath his grey robes. Liquid metal flew from Ichimaru's hand, and it sliced off one of the creature's arms. The creature howled. It had a white mask and a feather on its forehead. It had Greenish brown fur all over its body. Its arms were both red, as if permanently dyed from the blood of its fallen foes. Thus stood the Grand Fisher. The soldiers of the army surrounded the wounded creature. Ichimaru, being the next person to take command, raised his right fist. He had used his magical mastery of his liquid sword to wound the creature. He called out to his men and women who made up the army.

"This is the creature we were warned about." Ichimaru said. "This is the Grand Fisher. This being has been travelling around the countryside, and has killed several members of our army close to home. We need to take it home to make sure it answers for its crimes. I will assume command in General Aizen's stead."

Ichimaru had the Grand Fisher's legs chained to an iron ball so it could not run or fly away. He had what was left of Aizen's body wrapped in white linen. They had to travel back to the Seireitei. Ichimaru sent a raven with the message that the menace had been caught. The raven went right to the Seireitei. Word spread through the Seireitei, and the Shiba clan rejoiced in response to knowing that the Grand Fisher was caught. However there was mourning for the General that had perished. Aizen would be sorely missed. He was one of the most respected generals of Karakura's army. Yachiru Kenpachi performed the autopsy and found that Aizen had died in a struggle against the Grand Fisher. He had defensive wounds on his arms. Ichimaru made sure that the Grand Fisher was placed in a cell within the highest tower. This tower was made up of special stones so that magic could not be used. The Grand Fisher did not speak to anyone.

Kaien, Kukaku and Ganju from the Shiba clan paid off the guards and they stood just outside the cell.

"Grand Fisher," Kaien called out, and then he waited for a response.

They waited several minutes, and Kaien called out again. The monster came to the door of the cell and looked out through the small window.

"You cannot summon me, like some mongrel pup." The Grand Fisher said. "What do you want, human?"

"You killed many people." Kaien said. "You slayed my wife. You killed my sister-in-law. I will see you executed for your crimes."

The monster laughed. Kukaku and Ganju looked to one another but said nothing.

"You think I'm joking?" Kaien said angrily. "Your days of terrorizing this country are over. I will see you executed, even if I have to do it myself."

With that, Kaien turned on his heels. The monster continued to laugh as the three Shiba siblings left him.

* * *

The Generals met once more within the confines of the meeting room of the generals of Karakura. Gin Ichimaru was present as he was now promoted to be the General of the third army. The Commanding General, Yamamoto had servants come in and dress the new general with the white coat that all the Generals wore. On the back was the symbol of the third army. The other generals clapped their hands, welcoming the new general to his new post. They praised him on how he captured the menace that had plagued the land. The Grand Fisher was well known within the General ranks as something that had hunted down women and children for many years. Whenever it was confronted, it would overpower those that stood before it, and it seemed that Ichimaru had succeeded where others had failed. It was very curious how it targeted the Shiba clan for some reason. Ukitake would lead the interrogation to find out what the Grand Fisher's goal was. He told Kaien this.

"I can't believe we got him." Kaien said. "I need to be the one to face him. Please General Ukitake."

"Kaien, you know better than to let your emotions rein your actions." General Ukitake said. "You have a personal stake in this, and you might not see things clearly."

"The monster killed my wife." Kaien said, frustrated, "He has to pay."

"I know how you feel, Kaien." General Ukitake said. "Miyako was a good soldier. She knew going into this mission that she might not come back. We all know that about the missions that we undertake, Kaien. And now, General Aizen's been killed by it. It needs to be questioned and we need to find out who sent it after the top Generals of Karakura. They targeted your brother's wife. Your brother was a General of Karakura. It killed General Aizen and Third Seat Miyako who were both high ranking officers of the army. We need to know why, and cannot let you speak with the monster in case it provokes you."

"Oh, I'm provoked alright." Kaien said, "Just make sure that I'm the one who executes him when the time comes."

"Very well," And with that, Ukitake left Kaien in order to meet with Commander General Yamamoto and the other Generals that were present.

* * *

Miyako's grave was marked with a white headstone. The grave had been dug. Rukia and the people who knew Miyako best had been present during her funeral. Kaien and his siblings had attended to it, minus Isshin and his children. They had not known. That had been days ago, and now Rukia just stood glumly at her fellow soldier's grave. Rukia had looked up to the woman that was now buried underneath the soil. She was sweet and beautiful, however knew how to use a katana. Rukia looked up into the sky. A lonely hawk could be seen soaring up in the blue sky. Rukia had heard that the army had caught Miyako's killer. She also heard that the creature, this Grand Fisher had killed another high ranking member. She had heard that Gin Ichimaru had been promoted. Being new to the army, Rukia had not spoken to any of the high ranking officers except for the members of her army, General Ukitake, Kaien, and Miyako. She rarely spoke to Byakuya and the elves that had adopted her as part of their family. They seemed to keep to themselves. Several servants made comments on how Rukia resembled Byakuya's late wife, who had died a few years before Rukia was adopted into the family. Apparently they had been sisters, yet Rukia had no recollection of having a sister. She had grown up by herself with kids from the poorer part of Karakura, and of course, met Renji, who was now a lieutenant to the Kuchiki's army. Rukia thought about life and all of her experiences, the good and the bad. She had lost friends to diseases, infections and accidents. She had experienced loss before, but this was new. She had never had a face to be connected with someone's death. Miyako had served the army dutifully. Her sacrifice would be remembered for a long time. Now it was up to those that she left behind to move on. Rukia did not know if Kaien had it in him to move on. He seemed to be lost in thought whenever she did get to see him. His sadness and anger could be felt in the air around him. It was as tangible as the sun's warmth on your body. Rukia knew what Kaien had wanted. He wanted vengeance. Rukia learned from the academy that to be an efficient soldier, let alone a leader that Kaien were, you needed to separate the emotions from your duty. Think with your head, not with what your heart said to do. What would your commanders say for you to do? Rukia stayed standing in front of the grave for a time. She sighed and looked to the horizon. The sun was about to set, and homes around the Seireitei were starting to light candles and lamps. Within the walls, the Grand City thrived. People went out to listen to musicians play instruments or sing, and they would eat wholesome meals. They had no idea what the army would sacrifice to keep this peace intact.

**GoldDragonZ**: This marks my return to writing. I have some ideas on how this story is going to play out. There will be strong language in later chapters, and maybe gore and sexual situations.


	2. Chapter 2

**Darkness Rises Chapter 2**

**GoldDragonZ**: Let's just get into it. I don't own Bleach. Please support the official release.

District 42 was not as low class as the other districts. It was made up of farms and villages that traded with each other. It was there that a friendship between two small girls began. Orihime Inoue lived with her brother who worked in one of the fields close to her village. Sora Inoue was 18 years old and was raising Orihime as his own daughter because their parents were very abusive and neglectful. They often drank rice wine and smoked opium. Ironically, Sora could only find work as a collector of Poppy heads, which created the opium. Orihime was nine years old, the same age as Ichigo. She had auburn colored hair. Other children would pick on her. She would sometimes come home with mud in her hair as some children tried to help 'color' her hair. Sora did his best to soothe her, but he was always tired from his work in the fields. He tried to always get her to smile. He brought home small trinkets and treats to improve her mood. It was during one day when Orihime was being bullied by some hurtful boys when another girl named Tatsuki Arisawa came and fought them. She had been trained from a young age to be a fighter. She took no for an answer and was very aggressive. She was the very opposite of who Orihime was. Orihime was timid by nature. She would not fight other people. She resented fighting with her brother, and tried to hide the hurt that she felt. Tatsuki offered her hand to Orihime.

"Hey, please don't cry." Tatsuki said to Orihime. "Smile for me okay."

Orihime wiped her eyes and she took Tatsuki's hand. From then on, they would be the best of friends. No other child would dare hurt Orihime because if Tatsuki found out, they would pay dearly. And with the friendship and love she got from Tatsuki, Orihime blossomed into a lovely, bright little girl. She influenced everyone she met. Her innocent, imaginative and kind nature would make anyone happy to just be around her.

* * *

General Gin Ichimaru stood with his army as they stood at attention. Other Generals and several other higher ranking soldiers were gathered together. They had all met at a pyre that had been built to cremate the dead. On the pyre was General Sosuke Aizen's body. Oil was poured on the wood underneath the body. It was set ablaze by one of the priests. Aizen's family members were present and they were much shaken at his passing. His mother was crying as she clung to his father's chest. Kaien Shiba was there, fuming that he could not stop the creature that took his wife from taking Aizen. He wished he could have been there to defeat The Grand Fisher before he could kill anyone. He wished his wife was at his side even now. Kaien's anger knew no bounds. He was filled with hatred for the being that took his wife, and Aizen. However, things were very peculiar. Ichimaru seemed to be smiling. It was as if he was thinking about something funny while his General's body burned on the pyre. However, no one paid him any heed as he was always acting peculiar. Then, Kaien felt a hand on his shoulder.

"General Ukitake." Kaien said as he looked to his General.

"Let's go back to barracks." General Jushiro Ukitake said.

"Sir, the service is not over." Kaien said, looking to the other mourners.

"Kaien, you're shaking." Ukitake said. "You're so angry, I need you to relax. Do I have to make it an order?"

"No sir." Kaien said.

With that, General Ukitake and his Lieutenant left the funeral and made their way back to the barracks for army 13. They met with the soldiers who were at their posts. Others were training within the barracks, while others were just filling out paperwork. Rukia had not been invited to Aizen's funeral so she stayed within the barracks. She ran up to the General and his Lieutenant.

"General Ukitake!" She exclaimed. "Lieutenant, how was the funeral?"

"It was sad." Ukitake said. "I knew Sosuke for several years now. I thought he could have at least put up a fight, but it looks like the Grand Fisher had taken him completely off guard. Sosuke's parents were there. They were sad of course. He was a true friend and ally. I will miss him."

"I can't wait until my sword tastes the Grand Fisher's flesh." Kaien said. "He will pay for what he's done to us."

"Kaien, as your superior, I can safely say that your anger may cloud your judgement." Ukitake said. "It might affect your duties, so I want you to take a little respite from your duties. I want you to mourn properly for your wife. With the Grand Fisher contained, I do not believe that your family will be in any danger anymore."

"Who will take my place to train the newbies?" Kaien asked.

"Rukia, I choose you." Ukitake said. "You will welcome the newcomers to the army and teach them the basics."

"I'm a newcomer myself, General." Rukia admitted. "How on Earth am I supposed to teach the new soldiers?"

"You know how to use your swords with precision." Ukitake said. "You can teach others to learn the basics at least."

"Thank you for having faith in me, General Ukitake." Rukia said, bowing humbly.

"You'll make us proud, Rukia," Kaien said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

With that, and a heavy heart, Kaien left his fellow soldiers to contemplate his life. What would he do now that the love of his life was gone? What was the point to living anymore? All he had to hope for, like children, dying with Miyako at an old age, and even celebrating life's milestones were now dashed. He felt relief that Ukitake was not forcing to talk about his problems. He looked back at Rukia and General Ukitake who were in the midst of a discussion on how Rukia was to tackle her new orders. Kaien felt a swell of pride for his comrade. It had been some time since Rukia joined the army and Kaien was sure that Rukia would know what she was doing. With that, he left the barracks, and went to see how his sister and brother were faring. He just needed to change out of his uniform...

* * *

For soldiers of the Seireitei, all soldiers wore traditional black and white uniforms once within the walls, similar to army soldiers of today, however they wore their trusty katanas on their hips to show status. Several specialists, such as Generals and lieutenants had specialized weapons as well. Outside the walls, they would wear special armor depending on the environment that the armies would find themselves in. For example, if they would go to a wooded area, they would wear chain male under cloth clothes, and hiking gear. In a desert, they would only wear uniforms and specialized cloaks that protected them from the sands. In the frozen mountaintops, they would wear armor and thick furs to keep them warm. Now, if they needed heavier armor for special missions, they would be outfitted with armor suited for the terrain and types of battles they would be engaged in. Karakura's army had special wartime animals that were fully trained in the art of combat. They had attack and tracking dogs. They had elephants and rhinos that could carry their gear. Of course, they had horses that could help carry soldiers and gear with them as well. For snowy areas, they also had dogs to help pull sleds to their destinations. They had camels as well for hot desert plains. They kept these animals fed by using farms on the outskirts of the country, in several of the districts. They also made sure that all of the trade routes were clear of debris and people, ogres and the like who would ransack envoys carrying food. That was one of the functions that Aizen's army was out and about. They were protecting trade routes. There was a need for many farms as many people and animals depended on them for food, spices, sake, and opium.

The humans and elves that made up Karakura's population would also trade with other peoples such as other tribes of elves and dwarfs. Dwarfs were busy mining the mountains for gold, silver and rare gems. They were known to use heavy tools and weapons, making them strong. Even the dwarf women were said to have superhuman strength. One of the well-known tribes of dwarfs was known as the Bount dwarfs. The king of Karakura had an alliance with these dwarfs, and their leader, Jin Kariya. They would trade special metals, and gems for food and other necessities that the dwarfs could not find underground. The king of Karakura made sure to send some of the finest foods for the dwarfs so that it would entice them to keep the alliance that they had together. The bakers and chefs of Karakura, primarily within the Seireitei would cook and bake to their heart's content and send these packages of food for the dwarfs.

Within the Seireitei, there would be several festivals that the cooks and bakers prepared for. The Shiba clan was in charge of the fireworks displays that were set off. Children would be able to play with small sparklers that dazzled them with delight. The Commander General Yamamoto would use his wizardry powers of fire and make a display at the end of each night. He would like the sky up with fires of red, orange, blue and green flames. It would fill the spectators with awe as they looked on at the display of power that the Commander General displayed. Other Generals, including the Sorcerer Supreme, Tessai Tsukabishi would also show their powers if it caused wonder and amazement, and yet was safe to use around people. Those who had powers over water and ice created ice sculptures during the hottest summer nights. Fireworks and other fire related techniques were used year round if the sky was clear. During fall, people from all around Karakura would come together to celebrate the Harvest festivals that were happening around the country. The Kuchiki elves would plant and grow sakura trees all around the Seireitei, and when the time came, their pink leaves would fill the air. It was rumored that the Kuchiki elves hailed from a forest filled with the trees. Something happened generations ago that made them leave their home in the forest and find refuge within the heart of the Seireitei. They brought their magic and skill to Karakura, and taught other people about magic and fighting as well as growing trees and crops that they used to grow themselves. They also brought weapons and riches from the forest. It appeared that the elves mined as well, and had different jewels and swords that they had made.

Byakuya Kuchiki was well known throughout the Seireitei and beyond as the best looking soldier in the whole army. He had honor and acted proudly. He followed his orders, and made sure to dot his i's and cross his t's. He wanted to make his parents proud even though they were no longer there to support him. He followed a ritual. In all his years of life, he only went against his parents' wishes once, which was when he married Hisana. Hisana was the only woman he ever loved. He would never love again. From the time after her death, he vowed that he would never break the rules ever again. He poured himself into his duties. Whenever he had time off, he would pray to Hisana's soul in heaven and would train. He trained his body and mind to make himself into the perfect soldier. He practiced martial arts on servants who would put up a fight. He trained by moving boulders with his bare hands. He trained wielding his swords in and out of armor and different states of dress. He meditated daily with incense and perfumes in the air so that his body could relax. He filled out paperwork for his section of the army and made sure they were training hard as well. He made sure they knew how to practice writing their names. He would visit with other members of his family and made sure they had enough food to eat, and things to do within the confines to the Seireitei. He trained with them, and read diaries and scrolls that were left by his predecessors about battles and strategies. Byakuya also made sure he looked presentable. His uniform was always pressed and ironed. His hair was long and ended just below his neckline. He wore something similar to a crown in his hair called Kenseikan.

The only fault that Byakuya had was that he was emotionally distant and always put up a cold front in front of everyone, even his own family members, including Rukia. His Lieutenant Renji would be the one taking care of the soldiers under him. There had been several missions that the Kuchiki Army had to attend to. Renji would be the one to make sure that the wounded soldiers and the ones who experienced conflict were taken care of properly. Renji interviewed the soldiers and would make notes on how they were doing. He would keep a log of all the soldiers under him. He made sure to look after their emotional states. It was tedious work, but someone had to do it. His work as Lieutenant was very busy. That being said, the fourth army, which was also known as the Medical Healing Corps, contributed in the mental and physical health of all peoples within the Seireitei and the armies, so Renji was not the only one taking notes or dealing with the welfare of his subordinates. All lieutenants were tasked with welcoming the new recruits from the academy. In the same way Kaien trained Rukia, Renji would do the same for his coworkers as well.

Kisuke Urahara and his army, the Research and Development branch of Karakura were tasked with coming up with different weapons, and the investigation into the powers used against the army by trolls and goblins. The goblins of the world knew how to use dark magic. They could fly; they could be invisible, just like The Grand Fisher. They could make potions and could affect the weather. General Urahara had his workers test out poisons and torture techniques on creatures that they caught. They needed to know how to defeat their foes, which were all too willing to destroy innocent lives.

The reason that Karakura employed such a vast army was so that the districts could be safe. Everything seemed to be quiet these days; however there were reports that the goblins were attacking farms, which were vital for the country's survival. It was not known if the goblins farmed crops themselves, or if they lived primarily on meat. Some theories stated that the goblins were carnivores and only hunted large prey. Some even suggested that they resorted to cannibalism.

There were also reports of individuals starting trouble. They would pick fights because they wanted to know who would be the strongest. They would kill at will. These types of people would upset the other citizens as they would terrorize the towns surrounding the Seireitei. It was the King, Central 46, and the Generals' duties to make sure that these threats were eliminated. The Commanding General would assess the issue and dispatch an army according to the threats that they would face. Several members of the Punishment army would scout out areas with the most trouble, and would report back to either their Lieutenant, Marechiyo Omaeda, their commander, General Soifon, or to the generals of the armies all together in the meeting hall that they would all meet in depending on the severity of the threat that they would be facing. The decision would be considered by the Central 46 and the king would be notified, again, depending on the severity of the situation.

* * *

Within the confines of the Seireitei, a special device was being developed, secretly, without the knowledge of Central 46 or even the king. Only four Generals knew about it; Kisuke Urahara, Sosuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Soifon's predecessor, Yoruichi Shihouin. This device had been in development for years. It had to do with the immortality of Elves, such as the Quincy or Kuchiki clans, as well as dark magic that goblins employed. With the usage of the device, regular humans could be granted great powers. The only thing that they were doing for now, was using the device on animals. There were many failures and setbacks. They could use the device on an animal, and it would work for a while. The animal's abilities seemed to change, however they would transform into monsters. Thus, they all needed to be destroyed. However, there were four animals that could be considered successes. A small yellow bird was given human features, and her name was Ririn. She had the power to create illusions with magic skills. One was a turtle that stood on its hind legs, and was almost as tall as a human and had the power to open portals. His name was Noba. One had the ability to transform into different shapes and disguises, however for only a limited amount of time. His name was Kurodo, and he was a pink rabbit. However, the biggest success was with Kon, the lion. Although the lion's abilities were already awesome, it was given other powers, such as the ability to leap over tall buildings. Its legs were given immense power. Also, it could turn into a human form with powerful legs as well. Kon also had the ability to minimize himself. Thus he could be used for covert missions. These animals all had ability; they could talk and express themselves. It was as if these beasts were given souls.

With the success of these four animals, their increase in powers, their abilities and magic, the device could now be considered to be used with human subjects. Aizen and Urahara had been the ones working together to create and change the device. They named it the Hogyoku. Aizen wanted to start using the device on human trials right away. Urahara said it was too risky, and that they did not know how the animals would turn out, let alone human subjects. They needed to spend a few years testing Kon, Ririn, Noba and Kurodo. However, one day, Kon overheard an argument that Aizen and Urahara were having about the usage of the Hogyoku. In a fit of rage, Urahara said that the Hogyoku and the entire test subjects, no matter if they were success or not, had to be destroyed before they fell into the wrong hands. Aizen was adamant that they continue trials and experiments with the device. Kon rushed as fast as his legs could carry him into the secret rooms where the other modified creatures were and told them about what he overheard. Not one single being believed him. They thought that they were really special and that Urahara would not follow through with killing them outright. Not knowing what to do, Kon secretly tailed Urahara one night. He learned the spell to open Urahara's chambers and he stole the Hogyoku. Kon and the device went missing overnight.

When Aizen and Urahara found out that the device was gone, they became frantic. The device and one of the test subjects were gone. Now, it could happen that over time the device would become unstable and destroy itself. Kon's body might deteriorate as a result of the magic that was used to change Kon from something natural to something unnatural. But like all things, it was uncertain. Urahara dispatched several of his underlings to try and recapture the beast. Their names were Jinta Hanakari and Ururu Tsumugiya. They were young soldiers within the army but they were faithful and honored Urahara. Aizen had to put a brave face on things. That was when he decided that he would find the device for himself. Unbeknownst to all parties, Aizen and Ichimaru were working together. They had come up with a smaller version of the Hogyoku for themselves and traveled the land, conducting experiments secretly. Their first experiment together was on the Arrancar goblin that attacked the Quincy Elves, namely Masaki Kurosaki, eleven years ago. Aizen had thought that the being he and Ichimaru had created was an expert killer. Now it seemed that the being was not so efficient. Aizen was furious and he vowed that he would have his vengeance against Isshin and Masaki who killed the being actually named 'White'. Aizen used a magic spell on a bird and it would follow Masaki and Isshin for years. It would make sure that they told no one of the encounter. If news spread, it could get back to the Central 46 and he could be charged with a crime against humanity for what he did to a goblin as he gave it powers that it would never find by itself. Aizen continued his work, separate from Urahara. And then, he found out where Kon was. He devised a plan that would end up with Masaki dead, although no one knew about the two Hogyoku devices at all. He found the goblin The Grand Fisher, and gave him powers. In return for the power, the Grand Fisher would do Aizen's bidding. And thus the Shiba clan seemed to be the target when it was really Masaki and Isshin who were was his targets.

Aizen was a very vengeful person. When he was younger, his meager town was informed that they would be the host of the king. The King of Karakura was coming to his town! That was unheard of. Why would the king come there? And then they found out a comet was due to pass over their land. The king had spent his time learning and watching outer-space. He saw that the comet was coming. This town was overlooking a cliff. The sea was right there, and it made for a great place to watch the night sky. The king used his magic powers and saw that the comet would indeed come in the next few days. The whole town was evacuated to leave room for the King and his Royal Guard that would be present. Aizen had to stay with his family who had to set up camp several kilometers away from his home. Why did the king feel the need to make all of the people, his people stay away from their homes? What reason could the king possibly have for doing this?

The sun set, and Aizen and his family had no idea what was going to happen. No one was supposed to get anywhere close to where the king would be staying. There were servants and soldiers everywhere. They helped themselves to the food that the town had gathered previously. They erected a large tent for the king. Aizen secretly climbed on top of one of the buildings that were close by. He was ever so smart so he made sure to wear dark clothing so the soldiers could not see him on the roof top. He watched as the king came out of his tent. Standing seven feet tall, the King was truly a being to see. He looked alien as there was no one that looked like him. The king was wearing royal white and gold clothing with a red and gold cape. There were designs on his clothing that looked like Chinese dragons. There were several gems sown into the fabric. It was truly beautiful. And who could forget the elf's face? He was immaculate. He had something in his hand but Aizen could not see what it was. Night came and the night sky was filled with the soft glow of all the stars. And then coming from the Northeast, a comet lit up the sky. The sky turned dark red as the red light from the comet consumed the very stars themselves. The king raised his hands and then something happened. The energy from the comet itself started to swirl and started moving towards the town itself. Aizen cried out in surprise and fear. He fell off the roof. Pain took him as he felt something in his leg snap.

He looked down at his leg, pulling up the pant leg. There was a bump on his leg that was not there before and it hurt quite a lot. Soldiers rushed him. They grabbed him roughly and brought him to the king. While that was happening, the comet itself seemed to disappear, going into the item that the King had been holding. The earth shook with the immense force such an occurrence would cause. Buildings nearby fell over. The building that Aizen had been on top of was destroyed. Somehow, this force did nothing to the soldiers and even to Aizen himself. It seemed all of the soldiers had a spell over them to protect them. The pain in Aizen's leg was getting worse. He felt dizzy and nauseated. He felt that he would faint. And then he was brought up to the king.

The King would know what to do with him is what his soldiers thought. The king was holding a gold device. It looked like a paperweight, and Aizen did not know what this item could do.

"What is this?" The King asked the soldiers who brought Aizen to him.

"Your majesty," One soldier said. "We found this boy spying on what you were doing. What would you have us do?"

"Cast him out." the King said. "We have achieved what we came here for. My seal has been completed. Leave this town to rot. It is unsightly."

With that the king had his servants take down his tent. The King's Guard looked for more spies, and found none.

"You're not going to just leave us like this?" Aizen said angrily at the fact that the king, who everyone thought was legendary, was treating the town as if he owned it.

He cared not for the citizens and their homes. Now, they would have to rebuild the town from the bottom up. And resources were scarce. The king showed no remorse for what he had done, and Aizen vowed that one day he would rise and lay claim to power over everything. The king was now his enemy. When his leg was better, Aizen started his training. He trained physically to be a supreme warrior. He learned how to use a wooden sword when he was very young. He begged his parents to send him somewhere to learn how to read. He listened to the older gentlemen who knew more about the world than anyone else. He learned a few magic spells. And then, he found out that there was a library somewhere in Karakura which held great spells that Aizen could learn and use to his advantage. He traveled to this library and started learning all that he could about becoming a leader, learning about combat and what weapons would be useful on the battlefield. He learned and trained for many years. When he was 21 years old, he enlisted into the army. He started attending the academy for the Grand Army of Karakura and continued learning how to fight with various weapons and about magic spells. His teachers were amazed at his hunger for knowledge. He would not attend parties that some of his classmates had. Instead, he stayed in the academy's library and learned as much as he could about great wars that were waged between Karakura and neighboring countries. Whenever he had time, he would hone his sword skills and practiced using magic spells. He presented himself as a humble student and a hard worker. Others started becoming increasingly jealous at his expert usage of the sword and the pen. He knew how to draw calligraphy. He would take breaks however, and would visit his home town. He would help his parents whenever he could.

When he joined the army, he quickly moved up the ranks, and became a lieutenant of one of the armies. He volunteered for the most dangerous missions, and took command of his army with an iron fist. And yet, this was still not enough. His anger knew no bounds as he would sometimes see the king standing in the highest tower at the largest window, looking over the kingdom. It was not fair! How could such a being such as the King of Karakura achieve such a status and not care about the people under him? Aizen made it his mission to topple the king, and so enlisted a few people to his cause. One such person was Gin Ichimaru, who had been a child prodigy similar to Aizen. They found that they had many things in common. After years, Aizen's General retired and Aizen himself was promoted to General. He made sure he was nice and polite to all of his soldiers. He would teach classes at the academy so that people would learn from him. He would also conduct his experiments and sought the aid of Urahara. With his supposed death came a great sense of loss for all of the soldiers in the army. They now seethed with just hatred for the Grand Fisher, who had killed Aizen.

However, they would not know the truth until it was far too late. Aizen was filled with hatred for the King, and although he did not want to do it, some things needed to be sacrificed. Some people needed to be sacrificed. With the knowledge that he attained, Aizen learned very peculiar magic spells. He learned how to be very proficient in casting spells, and although he taught some students of his some things, he kept the more advanced spells to himself. Not even his fellow Generals knew about what he had learned and had been learning for quite some time. He only let Ichimaru know such news. They were working together to overthrow the regime that stood over them. However, they could not act until they acquired the true Hogyoku once more. And so, the hunt began for Kon and the missing device.

* * *

With the Hogyoku being missing, Urahara was getting increasingly paranoid. If someone found out what he had been doing, experimenting on animals, casting spells to create new beings with strange abilities, Urahara was afraid that something worse was about to happen. He needed to come clean. He had no idea that Aizen had been behind his apparent death, however he needed to tell all of the Generals about his findings. He called for a meeting among the top Generals. Most were there, however, Sōjirō Kusaka, General of Army 10 was not present. His division of the army had been put on an important mission guarding the trade routes against ogres that were terrorizing the outer territories. In his stead was a messenger who would take notes to carry to the General. Urahara told everyone about what he had been up to. Ichimaru was there, representing the 3rd army as its General. Urahara and Ichimaru had not discussed what they needed to disclose, so Urahara took it upon himself to take the full blame. Ichimaru liked that however, there should be a quid pro quo. What Urahara did by keeping Ichimaru and Aizen's involvement with the development of the Hogyoku a secret made it necessary for Ichimaru to feel as if he owed the other General. Of course, no one knew that Aizen was in fact still alive, hunting for Kon and the lost Hogyoku. With the knowledge that Urahara had been conducting these experiments, the Commanding General Yamamoto had no choice but to relieve Urahara of his post. Central 46 were informed and they decided to talk to the now ex-General. Urahara told them that he had been trying to find a way to give beings different abilities; some magical and some physical. Urahara told them that one of the subjects, Kon had stolen the device that would give beings incredible abilities. Central 46 decided that these experiments were unnatural. All the experiments, notes and anything related to the Hogyoku needed to be destroyed. Urahara was henceforth banished from the Seireitei. He could still live in Karakura, but all of his work needed to be confiscated. And thus ended Kisuke Urahara's tenure as the head of the Research and Development branch of the army. As one last gift, Urahara transformed the three remaining test subjects back into animal forms. Without the Hogyoku, however, he could not erase everything that had been endowed to these creatures. Ririn, Noba and Kurodo were sent to live out the rest of their lives with Urahara, who still had some influence within the community. They were supposed to be destroyed, but the army thought that Urahara had undone what the Hogyoku had caused. Urahara sent word to Jinta and Ururu that he was no longer their superior, and that they needed to report to the Commander General Yamamoto right away. Urahara's lieutenant, Mayuri Kurotsuchi was promoted to General. He was a cold and evil man, and would bring pain to his underlings, unlike Urahara, who valued human life.

Not knowing where to go next, Urahara decided to find out where Isshin Kurosaki was residing. He found out from the Shiba clan where exactly their relative was living, down in one of the districts. Urahara took Ririn, Noba, and Kurodo down to the district where Isshin and his family were living. He would surprise them and live with them for a while until he could open his own candy shop. Urahara Shop and the Kurosaki Clinic stood side by side. Isshin, Ichigo, and the girls Yuzu and Karin helped Urahara build and maintain his store and home. Ichigo went back to the Tower of Scrolls where he would learn more from the scholars and the librarians of the tower. Isshin did not want to tell Urahara the truth about why Ichigo was seeking knowledge. He only told Urahara that it would be good for Ichigo to learn more about the world through the scrolls.

* * *

Kon was hungry. He had not been fed for days. He now had to rely on instinct in order to eat. He silently made his way to a farm during the night, when all was quiet, and everyone was asleep. He could detect the scent of the animals residing in a barn close by. He moved as silent as he could. He crept to the door to the barn and then, saw that there was a wooden plank that locked the barn so that the animals could not get out. Kon used his powerful front legs to raise the plank. He was about to open the door when he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye, behind him. An arrow sore passed his head. Someone was hunting him. He roared loudly, not caring about anyone or anything hearing him. Being a lion, he could see well at night. He focused, and even still could not quite see the being that was stalking him. He saw a glint of steel, and another arrow came at him. He dodged to the right, and then something struck him from behind. He roared again and bent sideways, trying to scrape the arrow that had pierced his flesh. Darkness suddenly took him. He had been holding the Hogyoku within his mouth, but as the poison from the arrow took him, he felt his jaw slackening. And then, a voice within the Hogyoku itself crept into his ears.

_Move_. It said, and with that, it seemed the poison erupted from his skin, and Kon flew into the sky with more power that he needed. Aizen looked up, shocked. He knocked another arrow into his bow, and shot at Kon. Kon's tail slapped it away. With amazing speed, Kon disappeared into the night. Aizen seethed with astonishment. It seemed that the Hogyoku that he and Urahara worked on had more power than he realized. He had used his own Hogyoku to find the other, however it seemed that his Hogyoku was still quite immature and had less power than the other one. It had already given Kon immense power within his legs, but during the tests that were done on him, Kon never moved with such speed. Aizen was sure that the type of poison he used would have worked. It seemed that the Hogyoku was working against him. He used magic and opened a portal. He needed to keep his presence a secret as he did not want anyone interfering with his hunt of Kon.

* * *

More than a year passed. June 17th marked the anniversary of Masaki's death. Ichigo and his family met up at the Tower of Scrolls. Ichigo only had one thing on his mind, and it had been all that he could think of for the past year. He wanted to see his mother again. So for his birthday, his father agreed to take him and his sisters to where he last saw Masaki. It took them one and a half days to reach the spot where Ichigo had seen the lure of The Grand Fisher. It was summer time, and the temperature was nice and warm. It was a clear set of days, and no rain fell. The Kurosaki's set up a picnic. Ichigo went to the water's edge, and thought about his mother. Yuzu and Karin came on either side of him and took his hands. Isshin lit a cigarette and waited for a while as he watched his family who were silent. Time seemed to stand still. The wind blew through a few reeds that were growing. Birds were chirping. Isshin decided to start making the meal that he and his children would be having. It consisted of three rabbits that he set up skewers for; nice, fresh golden chips; carrots, herbs and spices. He started a fire in order to cook the meat. Isshin took out a massive wooden board. He found some rocks by the water way and created a small table that he and his small children could eat at. He took out four wooden bowls. He placed them on the makeshift table. They had come with the horse and were able to bring many things. To celebrate Masaki's life, Isshin had a painting of his wife there. He lit candles and incense. Tears welled up in Isshin's eyes. And then he heard his daughters laughing. Ichigo was doing his best to make them feel happy to be together. He pretended to slip and fall. He fell into the river, however it was not too deep as rain had not fell for several weeks. He made sure to be careful, however and he came out of the water.

"Oh man!" He said, jokingly. "I peed myself."

"Eww, Ichigo!" Yuzu said as Karin laughed.

And then, they heard a mighty roar. The children looked up in fear. Isshin rose from the ground and grabbed the nearest weapon he could reach; a knife that he was using to prepare the meal. Kon came out of hiding behind of a huge boulder. Isshin had not used weapons in years, and was quite certain that another tragedy was about to happen to his family. He thought quickly and grabbed one of the rabbits. His hand was burnt as he pulled it from the skewer that he had fixed near the fire. He threw the rabbits close to the lion. Kon dropped the Hogyoku and lunged for the rabbits. He was skinny. He had not eaten in such a long time, and he was consistently been hunted by Aizen. As Kon ate, Yuzu came up to him, her curiosity getting the best of her. Kon looked up and she touched his snout gently. He closed his eyes, and then Kon purred.

"Hey, you're not a bad kitty." Yuzu said to Kon.

Isshin ran forward and grabbed Yuzu, lifting her into his strong arms. He backed up away from Kon, his eyes remaining on the lion. Kon continued eating the rabbit. He licked his chops and looked up to Isshin, Yuzu, Karin and Ichigo.

"Please don't be afraid." Kon said. "I mean you no harm. Thank you for the rabbit and I apologize for scaring you guys."

"You can speak?" Isshin said, astounded.

"I can do more than speak." Kon said. "I can turn into a human."

Kon stood on his hind legs. His tail gently shrunk and sucked into his back. His Fur remained long on his chest and back. His front legs transformed into two strong arms. He changed into his human form. He picked up the Hogyoku.

"I am looking for Kisuke Urahara." Kon said. "I have something of his."

Kon explained to Isshin about everything that had happened. He told Isshin the tale of what happened to Urahara. The Hogyoku had given him more powers than he ever had. The more he held onto the device, the more it started taking a hold of him. It wanted to go back to its master, Urahara, and searched the planet for him. Somehow, it knew that to find him meant to talk to Isshin. It had given Kon sight beyond sight. Isshin took out his own cloak and draped it over Kon's shoulders. The family ate together and eventually went home. Ririn and Kurodo were playing with each other in the yard. Noba was just watching them play by the entrance to the candy shop. Isshin, his children and Kon came up to the shop with their horse and wagon. Kon was holding the Hogyoku. Ririn's head lifted as she sensed Kon's approach.

"Kon!" Ririn exclaimed. "Where have you been?"

Kon came out of the wagon in his humanoid form and he went to the bird like creature, and showed her that he was carrying, the Hogyoku.

"They wanted to destroy us all." Kon said. "They gave us these abilities all for nothing. They were going to kill us because we were too dangerous to be left alive. How did you guys manage to stay alive?"

"Master Urahara swore that he would watch over us." Kurodo said. "He took a blood oath and we also agreed that we would live with him and not cause any trouble for the King, Central 46 and the Generals of Karakura."

"Yes I did." A voice came from the inside of the shop as Kisuke Urahara came out, his eyes red, his hair scruffy, and his clothes wrinkled.

"We have to get inside." Isshin said. "It's dangerous as it is for you all to be out in the open."

Isshin put his horse in his stable. He told Yuzu, Karin and Ichigo to stay within the Kurosaki clinic as he went to Urahara Shop in order to speak to the shopkeeper and his wards. Isshin went into Urahara shop with Kon, Ririn, Kurodo and Noba. Urahara spent time telling Isshin about the Hogyoku and what the device was meant for; super soldiers and advanced magical powers to be granted to normal soldiers. His curiosity getting the better of him, Ichigo had crept onto the roof, and crept through an open window of the Urahara shop. He heard Urahara tell Isshin about the tale of how the animals within the shop were experimented on. He heard that the device had so much untapped power. Ichigo's eyes widened. This device might be the key into bringing his mother back from the dead. Urahara and the other beings went down into a secret cellar that they had dug in the soil beneath Urahara shop. Urahara used an advanced magical technique and placed a barrier around the Hogyoku. Ririn used her power and made it appear that nothing was in the cellar.

Kon explained that he was being hunted by someone. He never saw who this person was, but it had to be someone who knew about the Hogyoku. Urahara was certain Aizen was dead, and thought maybe the person hunting Kon was not after the Hogyoku and was after Kon alone.

"Isshin, you have to know that I never wanted to bring this to you." Urahara said. "I don't want to put your family in danger. I have no idea who might be after Kon, but I need you to keep the Hogyoku a secret, for your family's sake."

"I know, Kisuke." Isshin said. "I think it would be best if my family and I moved to the Tower of Scrolls with Ichigo so he could continue his studies and so that my children will be safe."

The Hogyoku needs someone who is able to perform magic spells to use it. Ichigo thought as he heard the two men speaking about the experiments that Urahara and Aizen had conducted with the device. I'm still not ready to use it then.

Ichigo made sure that he was silent as he made his way back into his own home. Isshin continued to speak with Urahara for some time, and then he came into their home. Isshin looked and saw that his children were worried.

"What did mister hat and clogs say, father?" Yuzu asked.

"We have to leave this place." Isshin told his family. "It's for the best if we went with Ichigo to the Tower of Scrolls."

And that was when it was decided that the Kurosaki would move to the town that was surrounding the Tower of Scrolls.

* * *

Aizen had followed the family as carefully as he could. He had used his magic as well as his own Hogyoku to keep from being sensed. He saw the Kurosakis enter their home, and saw Isshin, Urahara and the animals they had experimented on enter the shop. Aizen thought about it, and decided that for now, he would leave Urahara and the original Hogyoku alone. As long as he knew where it was, he could always come down and steal it for himself. However, he needed to build his strength. With the original Hogyoku, Urahara could be hard to defeat in battle so Aizen thought to himself that he needed to find allies. And thus, Aizen set his sights on a kingdom that was next to Karakura. The King of Karakura had been on good terms with the King of this other country. The country's name was Hueco Mundo...


End file.
